Airplane



March 4 1924.

F. B. VORACEK AIRPLANE Original ni h-0 st; 18. 1920 3 Shts- -Sheet 1 Tw l A1 WITNBSE5;

TTORNEY March 4 v 1924,

F. B. VORACEK AIRPLANE ori inal Filed Oct. 18, 1920 s sheets-sheet 2 AITORNEY WITNESSKS March' 4 1924. 1,485,447

F.B.VORACEK AIRPLANE Original Filed 0ct. 1a. 1920 a Sheeits-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

' 17mm: Bryon-Assn, or ronrnaivn, unseen.

Original application fil ed-October 18, 15220; sear 1161-1417535. Divided-and this steam nlan'prn 1s,

7 w 1922.;Ser'ia1No. 555,393. t

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known thatIfFRAivK B. a citizen of the United States, residing'at' Portland, in the county ofMultn'omahf and State of Oregomhave invented newand useful Impro vements in Airplanes I (Case 'B) of which theifollowing is faispe'cification.

This invention relates to improvements in' airplanes and is a division of an application filed by me Oct. 18, 1920, Serial No. 417,535.

An object of the present improvement is the provision of a novel arrangement of both vertical and horizontal rudders, to; gether with means for controlling the operation of the rudders, whereby the aviator will at all times have perfect control of his machine.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of an airplane showing the application of the rudders and the controlling means therefor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same partly broken away, a

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a different arrangement of elevating rudder.

eferring in detail to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote'corresponding parts, the invention is shown as applied to a machine of the triplane type and includes a lower plane 11, an upper plane 12 and an intermediate plane 13. These planes may be of any desired structure, the ones shown being provided with tapered ends 14.

The fuselage of the machine is indicated at 15 and extends transversely through the wings and may carry at its rear end spaced rigid stabilizing planes 16, whose-structure may be of any suitable character. The planes 16 may be connected by struts 17 of suitable material and size.

The invention contemplates means for 'controlli-ngthemachine andfor this purpose there is mounted between the planes 16, vertioalrudders18,]the. lattenbeing pivotally .jsupp,or-ted as indicated at 1'9 upon suitable shafts. .Any number 'of'the'se rudders 18 may be placedupon opposite sides oftl'iecenter of l the Inachine. Each of the shafts 19: has .secured thereon a grooved'pulley20 and-passing around this grooved pulley is a cable 21. which also passes around the centrally arranged shaft 22. The cable is then carried forward as indicated at 23 and is secured to a suitable control mechanism, which includes a steering wheel 24. By operating this wheel, the rudders 18 may be moved upon their pivots to control the horizontal movement of the machine. 7

Also pivotally mounted between the planes 16 .is a horizontal rudder 25, whose shaft 26 has secured thereon a grooved pulley 27 Passing over this pulley is a cable 28, which leads to a suitable controlling mechanism, including a steering wheel 29. The wheels 24 and 29 may be arranged one above the other as shown in the drawings, or any other suitable arrangement may beemployed.

In Figure 6 there is illustrated a different arrangement of horizontal rudders. These rudders are positioned at the forward edges of the stabilizing planes 16 and are indicated by the reference numeral 30. They are pivotally mountedas shown at 31 and are controlled by a cable 32, which passes over a grooved pulley 33 and leads to a suitable control. The rudders 30 are arranged one above the other and are connected by links 34, so that a movement of the lower rudder through the operation of the cable 32, will impart a like movement to the other rudder.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as propw erly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In an airplane, the combination of a fuselage tapering toward both ends and terminating in a blunt nose, and having a double deck tail plane extending horizontally from both sides of the fuselage, with a plurality of vertical shafts disposed in spaced m relation along the longitudinal center line of the tail plane between the upper and lower decks, pulleys at the bottom of the vertical shafts, a main pulley at the center line of the fuselage and in alinement with the pulleys on the vertical shafts, endless cables connecting the pulleys on the vertical shafts with the main pulley, a driving pulley below the main pulley, a revoluble.

steering post in the blunt nose of the fuse lage, a steering wheel atached to the upper end of the steering post, a steering pulley attached to the lower end of the steering post, an endless cable between the driving pulley and the steering pulley, and vertical rudders mounted on the vertical shafts.

2. In an airplane, the combination of a fuselage tapering toward both ends and terminating in a blunt nose, and having a double deck tail plane extending horizontally from both sides of the fuselage, with a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted at the longitudinal center line of the tail plane and extending a substantial distance toward both sides of the fuselage, a driving pulley at the center of the shaft, a vertical steering post in the blunt nose of the fuselage, a tube revolubly mounted on the steering post, a steering wheel attached to the upper end of the tube, a steering pulley attached to the lower end of the tube, an endless cable between the driving pulley and the steering pulley, and horizontal rudders firmly secured on the horizontal shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK B. VORACEK. 

